Chicago Bulls Keep Finding A Way Around Injury Obstacles

Injuries have completely changed the look of the Bulls since November, but it hasn't stopped Chicago's winning as the Bulls steal game one from Miami Monday. (usatoday.com)

A team defeated the Miami Heat in game one of the Eastern Conference semifinals Monday. It looked like the 2012-13 Chicago Bulls only because of the red "Chicago" uniform donned by the players, but this isn't the same Bulls team that has played most of the season.

Forget about the injury bug, the Bulls look like they've been attacked by a swarm of injury-inducing bees. It was thought of as a surprise that Chicago made it out of the first round. Now, this team wearing those uniforms beat the best team in the league, in Miami, by seven points. No Derrick Rose, no Luol Deng, no Kirk Hinrich, and apparently no problem.

How bad have the injuries been? Just take a look at the box scores from Monday's game against Miami and the first game of the regular season against Sacramento on Oct. 31. Both Bulls teams scored 93 points and held the opponent to 86 and 87 points, respectfully, but it was a completely different squad getting the job done.

Monday:

ESPN.com

October 31:

ESPN.com

Only Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer remain from what was the starting lineup of the regular season opener. The rest is a cast of role players called upon to fill a void left by spinal taps and bruised calves. Credit these players, the Marco Belinelli's, Nate Robinson's and the Jimmy Butler's who are on the team to provide an extra boost off the bench when needed. They were needed more than ever and delivered once again, Butler with a double-double of 21 points and 14 rebounds, Robinson with a team high 27 points and Belinelli with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Credit is also due to Tom Thibodeau and the Bulls' front office for signing and developing these players for situations like these. No one would have faulted Thibodeau for being ousted in the first round with all the personnel problems he has had to deal with this season. No one also would have seen these injuries coming, which is why a team works so hard on it's roster in the offseason. Just in case.

The Bulls have talent, which is why if Rose and the other normal starters were healthy, many would consider Chicago the best chance to upset the Heat. But there is a reason an NBA team has 15 players on the roster. The superstars won't always be in the game, and the bench is often called on to keep the team alive.

Except for the uniforms, this is not the same Chicago Bulls team from the beginning of the year, but the role players have done more than expected and Wednesday a team wearing that Chicago jersey will face Miami with a 1-0 series lead.


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Friday Roundtable: What Non-Superstar Can A Playoff Team Not Lose To Injury?

Without Kirk Hinrich, Deron Williams could destroy the Bulls. (Kathy Willens/TheHour.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: With the Lakers stockpiling injuries and after seeing Golden State's David Lee suffer a torn hip flexor that will keep him out for the rest of the playoffs, we ask what non-superstar can one of the remaining playoff teams not afford to lose?

Alex:
This may be cheating since he was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team, but although he is having a breakout year and translated regular season effort into playoff success, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers isn't a superstar. The Pacers' current culture of gritty team ball is not likely to breed one of those, so barring a transcendent postseason performance or a gigantic 2013-14 season, George is likely to remain at the forefront of a small market, overlook-us-at-your-own-risk franchise. That is fine, but what wouldn't be OK for the Pacers is if George fell to injury.

The third-year shooting guard-cum-small forward has played more minutes than any other Pacer this season (second-place David West trails him by nearly 200) and collected 6.3 Defensive Win Shares — the best individual number in a notoriously stingy defense. Adding to that statistic are George's team-high steal percentage (2.6) and his pounding of the defensive glass (he grabs 19.0 percent of defensive rebounds while on the floor, trailing only Jeff Pendergraph [22.2] and Miles Plumlee [19.9] for the season).

As for offense, George led the Pacers in per-game scoring during the regular season (17.4 points) and has only increased his output in the playoffs (25 ppg). He's no slouch at involving his teammates, either. Check any handful of Pacers highlights from this season and you're sure to see George playing one integral role or another. Indiana losing him could tip the series' scales in favor of the Atlanta Hawks, personae non gratae of the playoffs' second round.

Kyle:
I'm going a little obscure here, but bare with me. There's a guy who is far from a superstar, but has been crucially important for his team, and that is Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls.

Hinrich has been filling in as the starting point guard for the injured Derrick Rose, and losing a second point guard would cripple the Bulls at that position. Sure, Nate Robinson is still there on the bench to do a noble job, but he can't play 48 minutes every night. The final point guard on the roster is Marquis Teague, who has only played in one postseason game this year, game three, and didn't record a stat.

Hinrich's performance on the court has also made the biggest difference in this team's success. In the Bulls' game one loss, Hinrich only scored two points while the player he defended, Deron Williams, went off for 22 points and seven assists. In the next two Bulls wins, Hinrich has scored 13 and 12 points respectively on 41 percent shooting. But his biggest asset has been on the defensive side. In game two, Hinrich played tremendous defense on Williams, containing him to eight points on 1-9 shooting. He followed up that defensive clinic with Williams scoring 18 points, but needing 14 shots to do so. The Bulls have guys who can score. What they've needed is someone to get 10 points per game, play strong defense and not turn the ball over (Hinrich only has four turnovers in three games).

Hinrich has done all the little things that go unnoticed in box scores but are vital to a team's success, and the Bulls would be at a loss without him and Rose in the starting lineup.

Fred:
Sixth Man of the Year winner, J.R. Smith. After the All-Star break, Smith is averaging 21 points per game, with 46 percent shooting and 38 percent efficiency from 3-point range.

His ability to score and create his own shot helps to free Carmelo Anthony and the rest of his teammates. The loss of Smith would force the Knicks to look for 20-plus points from someone else on their bench

Smith had always been someone that can either shoot you into a game, or shoot you out of it, but he seems to have turned a corner lately toward smarter and more efficient play. If he can keep his head on straight, he remains a dangerous player to have coming off your bench.

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